The Impulsive Soul-Mates

Excerpt 5

Here u go wid d last one

With the passing time Manik seemed to be getting more paranoid than me, every small thing would stress him. Although his Mom was of great help and company whenever Manik was out for work. It was good to see that he was okay to see her around me. But nevertheless he would never fail to panic just at the word go. During the end of my 7th month I would get cramps and at times it would get so painful that I would end up crying. Someone suggested Manik that I should enroll myself into Yoga classes, a little bit of exercising would be helpful for both the baby and me. It sounded like a good idea and I gave into it.

Even though I had coaxed, cajoled, debated, argued and fought with Manik to let me do it alone but being the adamant man he is he didn't let me and so finally we reached for the Yoga classes together. I felt like a young school girl whose father had come to drop her but in my case the father was also going to attend the class with me. It was embarrassing, no even the word embarrassing was an understatement. I looked around to see some 10-15 young expecting mothers. Most of them were by themselves and a few were accompanied by their mothers or in laws, the husbands that were there just dropped their wives and went away. I glared at Manik to make him notice it but he being he shrugged it off nonchalantly.

"What??? if those morons don't care about their wives.. does that mean I too follow them", he was never short of arguments and I just tried to gulp my annoyance.

We took our places and the instructor came in sometime to start the class. I was the only fool who was sitting with her husband. Manik was absolutely chilled in fact he looked excited for the class. I saw the instructor make faces looking at Manik but then she didn't object to his presence. No sooner the class started Manik's questions started firing too. He literally had to know everything about the exercises, the techniques to the benefits to the side effects. This overtly caring Manik was extremely adorable but highly embarrassing too. Manik held my hand and helped me in doing the warm up exercises.

"Hang on Nandini cant stretch her back like that..she will get hurt", Manik intruded once again as the instructor told us to do slight back bends.

By now the instructor was literally boiling with anger, "Mr. Malhotra I am the instructor here and I know what I am doing"

"You know what you are doing but I know my wife won't be comfortable doing it...she will hurt herself."

I tried stopping Manik but then it was of no use. This led to one animated argument between the two while I stood as a helpless chicken. Manik badgered the herl with his chain of questions and that poor soul look baffled. She stared at me to rescue her and I had to be the savior. I was pretty sure that this would go nowhere and finally I just tugged his hand and pulled him out of there. Manik grumbled and I just distracted him somehow and thus how my Yoga classes ended even before it started.

***

Manik bolted the door open with a jerk. He was panting heavily which meant he had been running to reach me. He entered hurriedly and found me sitting on the floor sobbing and the moment I saw him there I began wailing like a kid.

"What happened?? why the hell are you crying like that?? Is it paining already??", he knelt on the floor to reach my level and made me look at him, "Nandini bolo aaise kyun ro rahi ho??", he looked worried.

I was crying pretty badly in fact had started hiccuping. It was since a few days that I had started feeling a bit low. The physical changes were taking a toll on me. I was no longer that tiny little girl, my enormous belly made me look like a hippo at least I thought like that. Even though I was already fore warned by the doctor that during the last months due to the hormonal changes I would have terrible mood swings to the extent of being insecure and depressed but still I could not hold back my emotions.

"Nandu what is wrong?? Please bolo...", Manik asked again in a softer and caring tone.

"You won't love me na because I don't look the same any more.. see I don't even fit in this dress now", I sobbed harder as I showed him the beautiful pink gown that he had gifted me once, "I have grown so big and now you will be ashamed to take me anywhere with you", and I continued whining.

"Shit!! You are crying for this and I thought... God Nandu!! You scared the shit out of me when I heard you crying over phone."

"This isn't a big deal for you... see now you don't even care.", I scratched on his blazer angrily. Any one in Manik's place would have thought that this girl has lost her mind and she needs medical help asap but Manik just smirked at my mannerisms.

"Nandu how are you going to mother my baby when you are a baby yourself?..you really think that your looks will bring about a change in my love for you and even if it does it is just going to increase..now tell me who has a cute little chubby wife like mine?..chalo now come on get up", he stood up and extended his hand to help me. But as he had already certified me as a baby I had to behave like one.

"Really!!..you still love me", I shimmered my eyes and raised both my hands gesturing him to pick me up.

Manik smiled at my silliness and bent down to pick me up.

"Waise Nandu ..this is a fact you have indeed become heavy..awww", he faked to struggle and manage me in his arms.

I rolled my eyes at him and he giggled heartily. He took me to our room and placed me on the bed carefully.

"Awww", I shrieked in an uneven tone.

"What happened?? What is wrong??"

"Manik feel it", I was so excited that I just took his hand and placed it on my tummy.

"What??", he jerked his hands in fright to the sudden vibration from my tummy, "What was that??", Manik was scared and confused.

"Manik it's the baby...she kicked..come on feel it", I again kept his hand on my tummy again.

My happiness knew no bounds, our baby was reacting and probably getting impatient to come out and see the world. In a moment I forgot all my depression and an instant joy lit up my face. I waited for Manik's reaction. I knew he would be extremely happy may be more than me but I found him with a long straight face.

"How can she kick you?? You are her mother right..how can she just kick you?? that is bad manners..did it hurt?? Are you okay??", Manik said with an adorably irritated expression.

I didn't know if I should laugh out loud at his ignorance or kiss him at his innocence. I could just smile at his reaction.

I nodded my head in a pendulum mode, "Manik babies kick karte hain...it is normal", it was silly that I had to actually explain that to him and in no time when he realized it, a proud smile embellished his face. He lifted my top and put his cheek on my tummy to feel the kick again and every time she kicked and Manik felt it he sniggered like a baby himself.

Whooossshhhh done with the excerpts...ab only epilogue left